Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

By VAN ROSE [email protected]
Tuesday, November 30, 2004     Page: 1B

WILKES-BARRE – Chestnut Hill sharpshooter Mike Devine was ice cold in the
first half, but when it mattered most, the sophomore guard found the
bull’s-eye against King’s.
   
Devine nailed three long-range three-pointers in the final nine minutes as
the Griffins rallied from a 13-point deficit for a 72-69 victory over the
previously unbeaten Monarchs on Monday at Scandlon Gymnasium.
    “Devine hit some great shots in the second half,” said King’s coach J.P.
Andrejko. “His shooting kept them in the game. He played well.”
   
It would have been easy for Devine to lose confidence in his shooting. He
was 0-for-3 from the field in the first half as King’s opened up a 42-30 lead.
However, his teammates weren’t dismayed.
   
“At halftime, they told me just to keep shooting,” Devine said. “We knew
if we started hitting our shots, we could come back.”
   
King’s, behind the hot shooting of senior forward Brian Horgan, appeared to
be in control midway through the second half. Horgan tossed in three
long-range treys that enabled the Monarchs to take a 59-46 lead with 10:40
remaining in the game.
   
But then Devine heated up.
   
Devine hit a three-pointer that trimmed King’s lead to 59-51 with 8:50
left, and nailed another that drew Chestnut Hill to within 63-59 at the 4:52
mark.
   
Then, with 2:30 remaining, Devine came up with the play of the game. He
tossed in a 25-footer despite being knocked to the floor by a King’s defender.
He converted a free throw to complete the four-point play, which tied the
score at 65-65.
   
“Devine’s four-point play was really huge,” said Horgan, who paced King’s
with a game-high 23 points. “It provided them with huge momentum.”
   
Chestnut Hill (3-2) took a 70-65 lead on a free throw by Shawn Bolling with
59 seconds left, but King’s came fighting back. The Monarchs (3-1) cut the
lead to 70-68 on Jim Welsh’s trey with 40 seconds remaining.
   
King’s had a chance to tie the score when Bolling missed a pair of free
throws with 35 seconds left. However, the Monarchs turned the ball over, then
got it back on a Chestnut Hill turnover with 14 seconds remaining.
   
The Monarchs got the ball to Horgan, who was fouled while putting up a
missed shot with six seconds left. Horgan made the front end of a one-and-one,
but missed the second free throw.
   
The Griffins extended the lead to 72-69 on Isaac Greer’s two free throws
with 1.4 seconds remaining.
   
King’s had one last gasp. Horgan was thrown a Hail Mary pass and his
desperation shot from 18 feet bounced off the rim at the buzzer.
   
“I think more than anything, we beat ourselves,” Horgan said. “We had a
chance to put them away in the second half, but couldn’t do it. We’re a young
team and we have to learn how to win.”
   
Chestnut Hill coach Jesse Balcer attributed the win in part to the
Griffins’ double- and triple-teaming Horgan during the final five minutes.
   
“Horgan’s an unbelievable player,” Balcer said. “We decided to make
someone else beat us. I’m glad I don’t ever have to see him again.”
   
King’s outrebounded Chestnut Hill 23-13 in the first half. The Griffins did
a better job on the boards in the second half as both teams had 18 rebounds.
   
Greer paced Chestnut Hill with 22 points, while Bolling had 19 points.
Marty O’Hora had 16 points for King’s and a team-high 10 rebounds.
   
Wilkes 82, New Jersey City 69
   
WILKES-BARRE – Evan Walters had six steals, leading a Wilkes defense that
forced 38 turnovers en route to a non-conference men’s basketball victory over
New Jersey City at the Marts Center.
   
Walters also posted eight points and 10 rebounds for the Colonels, who
moved to 2-0 on the season. John Yaniello led Wilkes with 15 points and Matt
Gould added 13 as 12 Colonels scored on the night.
   
John Sclafani contributed seven points, eight rebounds and four assists for
Wilkes. The Gothic Knights fell to 2-2.
   
Misericordia 80, DeSales 75
   
ALLENTOWN – John McCabe scored 17 of his team-high 18 points in the second
half, but it wasn’t enough for Misericordia.
   
McCabe, who was 5-for-5 from three-point range, added three steals. Michael
Morak and Josh Kendrick added 15 and 14 points, respectively, for the Cougars
(1-3), who play at Marywood at 8 p.m. tomorrow.